Towards a Definition of Pagan Music

Abstract

In 1993, the rst international Pagan studies conference was held, bringing together scholars from all over the world in elds as diverse as psychology, theology and ecology. In Researching Paganisms, published in 2004, Blain, Ezzy and Harvey cite multiplicity as central to the discipline of Pagan studies, and note that just as contemporary Paganisms are still evolving, so are the methodologies and approaches of those who choose to study them. Popular music studies is one area in which Pagan studies activity is only just emerging, yet – as seen in a Pagan history of celebration and story-telling through music – it is a voice through which Paganism might readily be expressed. Indeed, as this book explores, popular music has already proved a highly e ective medium for the articulation of Pagan ideology and aesthetics. A diverse range of genres, from folk through punk and Goth to heavy metal, frequently embodies images and discourses drawn from Paganism. Similarly, a number of popular music artists profess a deep-seated investment in and expression of Paganism and Pagan identity through their music.